Text Ed: A Study of Text Messaging to Improve College Enrollment Rates Among Disadvantaged Adults

Program: Higher Education Act

Award amount: $4,804,605

Awardee:

MDRC, Public Strategies

Duration: 6 years 9 months (08/01/2016 - 05/01/2023)

Contract number: ED-IES-16-C-0016

Background

College application and financial aid processes are complicated and can be barriers to entry, particularly for those not coming directly from high school. The U.S. Department of Education-funded Educational Opportunity Centers (EOCs) work with low income or potential first-generation college goers to address these barriers. The EOCs, mostly drop-in offices at colleges and community-based organizations, typically operate with a small cadre of staff and are required to serve a large number of individuals each year. They need low-cost, effective, and efficient ways to support their clients. This study tests whether adding a set of personalized text messages to regular EOC informational services can boost their clients' Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion and college enrollment rates. The messages build on those found to be promising with other groups of intending college-goers. The study responds to a legislative requirement to conduct rigorous evaluations to identify improvement strategies for the Department's college access programs.

Project Activities

Research question

Does providing personalized text messages to EOC participants increase the likelihood of participants enrolling in postsecondary education?
Do the messages increase Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates?

Structured Abstract

Design

Eighteen EOCs participated in this effectiveness study. Within each EOC, study participants were randomly assigned to receive either the center's typical services or to receive the study's messages in addition to the typical services. A total of 3,535 individuals participated in the study. Participant background information, as well as information required for the customization of messages (for example, the postsecondary institution at which the participant wishes to enroll), was obtained from grantee records. Whether participants enrolled in college was measured based on National Student Clearinghouse records. FAFSA completion was be measured using administrative records from the U.S. Department of Education.

Key findings

Adding personalized text messaging to existing EOC services did not increase clients' rates of college enrollment or FAFSA completion.
Although many clients completed important college-going tasks such as applying to college and submitting the FAFSA, 4 in 10 did not enroll in college. These clients may face complex barriers to enrollment that cannot be addressed by low-touch text outreach alone, suggesting the need for further inquiry into the challenges to college enrollment faced by the EOC client population.